


instant ramen in candlelight

by avarry



Category: A.C.E (Beat Interactive Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, M/M, i wanted it to be just soft but...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 07:12:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16827712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avarry/pseuds/avarry
Summary: the one where jun makes a romantic dinner with just ramen and left-over rice.





	instant ramen in candlelight

**Author's Note:**

> finally posting it here. i know i said i'm gonna edit it... i lied... i just gave it a cursory glance
> 
> inspired by otp-prompts: Person A being broke and figuring out a way to make a nice romantic dinner for Person B with only microwave ramen

Jun wakes before his alarm. The sky is still dark outside, only the pale light of the street lamp illuminating their bedroom. The bed is comfortable in its warmth even though the mattress has gone a bit lumpy. A part of him wants to burrow under the covers and return to a particularly interesting dream where he’s on stage greeting his fans but the digital clock on the bedside table glares 4:25 A.M. and going back to sleep would be futile since he needs to be up in 20 minutes anyway. Doesn’t mean he’d move right away though. He heaves a sigh and stays in bed.

Inhale. Exhale.

He stares at the cracks in the ceiling, traces the pattern of the water damage left by the typhoon last month.

Inhale. Exhale.

When he turns to look at the digital clock, the red numbers tells him that it’s now 4:30. Might as well get up then.

Jun steels himself and goes to the living room, bones creaking with all three steps to get there. He flips the light on as he goes. The light is dim, washing everything in pale yellow. Jun looks at the bulb for a second, making a note to buy a new one on his next payday.

He sets out to tidy the apartment. It’s not exactly messy but there are books and DVDs to be put back and shelves that need dusting.

He starts from one end of their tiny apartment to the other, dusting and sweeping and mopping. The trash gets thrown out, the bathroom gets cleaned, pillows puffed, sheets changed.

When he stops and deems the apartment clean enough, he’s worked enough of a sweat that the dust clings to his skin. Upon checking the mirror he grimaces at the dust on his cheeks. If he takes a quick enough shower, he’d still have enough time to cook and set the table.

There’s still hot water but he forgoes it so Chan can have enough when he takes a bath later. The water is frigid from the cold night, it makes his teeth chatter. He shakes it off and just washes his hair. The cold has seeped into his bones by the time he finishes and towels his hair.

He hurries to dress in the pink sweater Chan got him for his birthday. It’s soft and warm against his skin, a stark contrast form the scratchy uniform he wears to work.

Jun is reminded of Chan’s smile when he gave him the paper bag. He didn’t wait for Jun to open it, just pulled matching sweaters of pink and blue. He handed the pink one to Jun and urged him to put it on. When he did, he saw Chan wearing the blue one, a wide smile threatening to overtake his face. He looked so beautiful that Jun just had to kiss him. He remembers what happened after that and feels warm all over. He shakes his head and tells himself that he needs to get a move on if he wants the food to be done on time.

He begins by pulling out the ramen and ham he got from the store as he was going home that afternoon and the rice he saved from earlier. Then, he takes the kimchi his sister gave him last week along with a tired sigh of “You can still come back. The restaurant’s waiting for you. You don’t have to live like this.” He just smiled at her and whispered, “Thank you,” before kissing her goodbye.

He takes a deep breath and releases it, starts to prepare the ingredients and heats up the water.

He thinks about it of course, how they ended up like this.

They were young then, stars still bright in their eyes, dreams beating in their chest and passion flowing in their veins. They felt invincible somehow, like the world was theirs for the taking. They met in campus, just students who found each other and fell in love.

_ The moonlight filtered thru the blinds, casting Chan in pale light. Still, he looked ethereal, eyes dark, lips bruised red. _

_ “I’ll give you the world,” Jun whispered in his skin, between kisses and breathy giggles. _

It’s been three years since then. They graduated and moved to a tiny apartment at the edge of the city, still high on freedom. Reality came crashing though. Their dreams of performing on stage and having their songs playing on the radio were relegated to the back-burner for the immediacy of rent and electricity and food on the table.

Jun works morning at the flower shop in front of the theatre he sometimes acts in. Chan spends his morning as a staff at the radio station downtown and his nights as a convenience store clerk at the Family Mart across their apartment. The time spent at work and at their attempts to hold on to their dreams isn’t ideal. They barely have enough time to spend together. The rare occasion where their day off coincide are spent at home sleeping beside each other too tired and too broke to go on dates. But they’ve gotten used to it. Still, Jun’s heart aches that he can’t even take Chan out on their anniversary, instead, he’s trying to make a romantic dinner with instant ramen and leftover rice.

Sometimes, he thinks about going back home and taking over the family restaurant. He can give up his dream if it means he can provide for what Chan needs and deserves. They can be comfortable. Chan will go on working for his dreams and Jun will be there to support him. He’s brought it up with Chan more than once, but it just ends up with tears streaming down Chan’s face, his voice hoarse as he tells Jun “Don’t give up just yet. Just a little bit more.”

He reminds himself of that as he takes a deep breath. In front of him, the water boils. He adds the noodles and waits for it to finish cooking. By the time it does, he hears the loud creak as the front door opens. He makes another note to oil the hinges.

“Babe?” Chan’s voice fills the quiet of the apartment. The lilting of his voice still makes Jun’s heart skip even after three years.

“I’m here.”

When Chan steps into the light, Jun sees the dark bags under his eyes but there’s a wide smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eyes.

“Hey, what are you doing up?” Chan’s arms encircle him, his chin digging into his shoulder. “Are you making me dinner?”

Jun hums in reply putting the rest of the ingredients in the pot. “Go freshen up, there’s hot water for you,” he presses a kiss on Chan’s hair. “This’ll be ready by the time you’re done.”

Chan returns the kiss before he pulls away. When Jun finally hears the sound of the water, he begins setting the table, placing bowls and utensils. As an afterthought, he lights the candle his boss gave everyone last Christmas and places it on the table. The scent of vanilla fills the room.

The pot of stew gets its place in the middle of the table and the wild flowers he got from the shop at the edge of the table.

He’s in the midst of swiping on lip balm when Chan gets out of the room. He’s wearing the matching sweater, hair still wet from the shower. Jun tsks and beckons him closer. He grabs the towel hanging from Chan’s shoulder and makes him bend forward so he can dry his hair, pat it and squeeze the water from the strands.

“You really should dry your hair properly, otherwise you’ll get a cold.” When he pulls back, Jun sees a smile on Chan’s lips. There’s still tiredness in his eyes but the curve of his lips makes him look younger. Under the pale yellow light, he looks beautiful.

“You look beautiful,” he whispers in the space between them, hands still clutching the ends of the now damp towel, Chan’s head still bowed a little to accommodate his height. There’s a glint in his eyes as he presses a kiss where his jaw meets the soft sweater that makes Jun’s cheeks warm.

“The sweater really looks good on you.” He breathes more than says, hands finding purchase on the dip of his hips, pulling him closer.

“Keep your hands to yourself. The food’s getting cold.” He places his hands on Chan’s chest and pushes a little.

At the mention of food, Chan’s face lights up, like a kid on Christmas. The change makes Jun chuckle.

“You made my favorite. And there’s candles. And flowers too.” With every single thing he points out, his smile just grows wider and wider. “You know you don’t have to do seduce me. I’m a sure thing.”

Jun hands him the flowers, “Happy third anniversary.”

Chan’s face falls a bit, “I forgot. Oh God, I forgot. I’m so sorry.”

“Hey,hey.” Jun reaches out a hand, twinning their fingers together. “It’s fine. I know you’re adjusting to your new schedule. Besides, I wanted to do it.” He serves Chan a bowl of stew and places it in front of him.

Chan looks at the bowl in front of him and smiles. It’s the kind that makes his eyes disappear, the one he has when he’s happy and he doesn’t know how to put it into words. “Thank you,” he whispers before he takes his first sip.

Jun watches Chan eat. His face becomes open, alight with joy as he slurps the noodles. He talks too, countless stories about the people that visit the convenience store at night, like that guy who was so flustered when he bought a pack of condoms that he left without his change, practically running out the door. Jun watches him, watches the play of light on his face, the shadows making him look sharper, watches him be happy even though they’re celebrating their third year anniversary eating instant ramen in candlelight.

It doesn’t take long for them to finish the food between both of them. Jun opts to just a bowl, letting Chan have the rest after much protest of “You’re just fattening me up.” Once the pot is empty, Chan makes a show of blowing the candle but not before making a wish of, “I wish everything Jun wishes for comes true.” For a moment Jun doesn’t know what to wish for when everything he’s ever wanted, everything he didn’t even think he’d want is right in front of him, holding a cheap vanilla scented candle right in front of him. There’s a sudden lump in his throat and he tries to swallow it.

By the time they’ve cleared the table, Chan’s yawns have grown so frequent he can barely keep his eyes open for more than two minutes. Jun takes pity on him and sends him off to bed while he finishes washing the dishes. But Chan refuses to leave him, instead draping himself on Jun’s back, nosing his ear and humming underneath his breath in between yawns. The water is cold as he rinses the last of the bowls but his heart is warm.

“Hey Babe?” Jun whispers to Chan as they lie underneath the covers. His eyes are closed, eyelashes casting shadows on his cheeks. “Happy anniversary. I love you. I promise I’ll take you out to a proper dinner next year.”

Chan opens his eyes and scoots closer to him, so close, they’re sharing the same pillow, breathing the same air. “I don’t need a fancy dinner. I don’t even care where we go. I just want us together. Today. Tomorrow. The day after that and the day after that until all our days run out and maybe even after that.” He whispers it into the dark. Whispers it again on Jun’s lips. Over and over until it’s they fall asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> i'm gonna be real honest with you bub, i don't like the ending but i'm too drained right now to think of editing it so it will have to stay


End file.
